Maybe the idyll between Italian citizens and is really over Giuseppe Conte. The former “people’s lawyer” was overwhelmed by whistles and screams of protest from people waiting for him on the street yesterday. The premier, in all likelihood, expects a crowd and various cheers in favor of cameras but his expectations have been annihilated by the anger of citizens who struggle to make ends meet due to the economic crisis triggered by the health emergency.
An unexpected and very hard blow for a Count who still believed he enjoyed a high appreciation among the population but who did not take into account how the situation in Italy is becoming increasingly difficult and that promises and beautiful words are not enough to help citizens. The prime minister yesterday had summoned journalists to the open air in Piazza Colonna, right in front of Palazzo Chigi to talk about the “General States” that are about to begin. In a perhaps studied move, once the meeting with the press is over, Conte announces: “Let me go have a coffee, but on my own. Don’t follow me …”. The impression is that the prime minister wants to go to the crowd not far away to receive some form of acclamation, which is always useful especially in a time of political difficulty.
Sure to collect applause and smiles, the Prime Minister ventures towards the barriers, to get closer to the crowd, made up of passers-by and curious, crowded along Via del Corso. However, the move turns out to be a disaster. Whistles and screams are immediately raised to the premier. At that point the escort, whom Conte had sent not to follow him, must rush to surround the Prime Minister. The scene, a real media Caporetto for Conte, attracts journalists and TV. “Money, money! The redundancy fund!”citizens shouted at the prime minister. Someone also shouted “resignation” and“jester, jester”.
Conte, completely displaced, tried to face them by removing his mask and talking to a lady but it was all useless. Given the dispute, the premier followed by buffer stock he returned incredulously to Palazzo Chigi hissing: “Impossible”. And instead it was all true. The signal that something has changed in Italy. Who knows if Conte understood it.
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